Gloria

Gloria was born in October 2011 and found abandoned at the door of the orphanage when she was about two months old, with a note indicating that she has PKU (an inability to process protein). She hasn’t been tested for PKU but she is receiving special protein-free formula.

SPECIAL FOCUS CHILD RELEASED TO THE SHARED LIST

Her physical development has progressed well: she can walk freely, go up and down stairs, and get undressed. She is not speaking yet and her mental development is delayed in comparison to her peers. She is not yet toilet-trained.

Gloria recently began participating in a special program in her orphanage under the auspices of an Australian NGO. They do assessments and provide extra services for children with special needs. According to this group, Gloria is “a lively little sparkplug. She engages quickly and readily with toys, wants to get into everything in the playroom and explore on her own.” Her physical therapy assessment shows largely normal growth and development.

MARCH 2016 UPDATE: I was put in touch with someone who knows Gloria and was told she is making fabulous progress! She isn’t yet talking but is making sounds. PKU results should be back very soon!

APRIL 2016 UPDATE: “Gloria continues to make progress and is doing well – we are seeing the effects of neglect and institutionalisation slowly diminish but there is still a path ahead. She’s delightful and full of smiles, ready with hugs and curious about everything. It would be great to see her settled in a loving home with her own things and a safe place.”